▸ About us!

Tinderbox Theatre Company is an award-winning company driven by imagination and creative potential. For over 37 years, it has created bold, original productions through an artistic process that places imagination at its core. Recognised for its innovative storytelling, Tinderbox believes theatre is a visceral, electrifying experience that ignites the senses through visual, physical, and textual storytelling, exploring universal themes that connect us all.

Tinderbox has been recognised with prestigious awards, including the UK Theatre Award for Best Play Revival, cementing its reputation as a leader in contemporary theatre in Northern Ireland. It has produced acclaimed work at Belfast International Arts Festival, Dublin Fringe Festival, and the Edinburgh Fringe, where it was recognised as The Stage’s Best of Edinburgh Fringe in 2022.

In spring 2025, Tinderbox will become the first Associate Theatre Company of The MAC for a three-year residency, deepening its commitment to innovative theatre-making and artistic collaboration.

▸ Our Mission

Inspired by a tinderbox, a simple yet powerful tool that ignites a spark into flame, we are driven by imagination, collaboration, and the transformative power of theatre. At Tinderbox, our mission is built on three core pillars: The Fire, The Fuel, and The Spark.

  • We create live performances with imagination at their core. Through collaboration, we develop bold, innovative theatre productions.

  • We offer artist training programmes that celebrate authenticity and fresh ideas. We also prioritise holistic practice and wellbeing, using imagination as a tool for healing, growth, and personal development.

  • We believe in the power of theatre to unite people and inspire change. By collaborating with communities and audiences, we create spaces where diverse voices are heard and stories are shared.

▸ Our project &
company funders.

We are grateful to our funders for supporting bold, imaginative theatre. Through strong partnerships, we champion creativity, accessibility, and artistic excellence, ensuring theatre remains a transformative experience for all.

Meet the Team

▸

Meet the Team ▸

Find out about the people who run Tinderbox!

  • Ubu the King – “Tinderbox go for broke in this wickedly playful, no-holds barred new version of the play which kicked opened the door into the Theatre of the Absurd”.

    The Stage ****

  • Rhino is a bold, dazzling to the eye translation to the stuttering, glitch-ridden world of 8-bit computer games, liberally laced with trademark Jacques Lecoq physicality” “Nothing like Rhino has been seen on a Northern Irish stage before. It is a triumph for all concerned

    British Theatre Guide

  • Woods’ writing writhes with a Beckettian lyricism and blacker-than-black laughs. Director Patrick J O’Reilly’s production provides a perfect platform for it

    The Scotsman ****

  • Patrick J O’Reilly’s staging has a painterly beauty

    Lyn Gardner